Early in my life as a new believer I lived in a Christian commune called the Lighthouse Ranch. It was a five acre former coastguard station located on a high bluff overlooking the Pacific ocean. It was the early 1970's and most had been searching something that brought meaning to their disenfranchised life. It was here that the building blocks of Christian truth was sown into my heart. The central theme was “Practice the Word, be doers of the Word, not just hearers”. We were taught that in practicing the Word we would come to understand it. I still try to live by that principle. We captured by the love of God and opened our community to all. We had a sign posted above the door to the main building that read “Whom so ever may come”. The four years that I lived at the ranch I saw hundreds of folks come through, many giving their lives to Christ. There was over a hundred of us living there and you can imagine the frictions and misunderstandings that can happened when so many live together in close proximity. Many who came had little interest in Jesus they just wanted shelter and free meals. There was always tension, those who wanted to follow Christ and those who were just there to consume our resources. It was easy to become suspicious and cynical about those who would come.

Like those at the Lighthouse we need to be careful that these negative attitudes don't creep into our lives when we are disappointed in people. If we are honest we all have the tendency to judge, to discount people who are different from us, or who believe differently than us. The homeless person, the immoral person, the.... (you fill in the blank). This is were Practice the Word comes in.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Col 3:12.

Consider, Jesus chose you when you had nothing to offer Him, He loved you and made a way for you. He dearly loves you and is committed to you. He made you holy. This is foundational and the basis for any virtue in our lives. With this truth firmly in our hearts the scripture tells us to clothe ourselves, to put on compassion like a garment. It is more than a feeling of good will. It is a decision to show the love of God. It is practical, we chose to be kind, chose to be gentle and patient. How do we get there? The answer is humility. The word humility from the Greek carries a deep sense of one’s moral littleness. All humanity is cut from the same cloth, without Christ we are a sinful selfish people. The root was bad and we were powerless to change our nature. This was our condition when Christ gave his life for us. The only difference between those we disparage is what Jesus has done for us. Because of Him we are changed and empowered to live a life that is pleasing to God.

2 Cor 5:17 says “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 18  And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him.”

Choosing to a compassionate people and to love people flows from our understanding God's love for us. It is a response of gratitude. Think of this, you were rescued for the purpose of reconciling people to Christ!

When I think back to those years at the Lighthouse Ranch, the crucible of difficult relationships caused me to get a glimpse of how much God cared for a wretch like me, surely He cared for those who I struggled with. I'm thankful that as a church family that we are committed to ministries like Celebrate Recovery and Mission of Hope. I'm thankful for the heart we have for our community. Let us never grow weary in well doing

Heart of Compassion

Appreciation

Appreciation is the grease that keeps relationships moving. Nothing is more powerful to convey the value of an individual. Genuine appreciation feeds the soul of the giver as well as the one who receives it. Many of the letters Paul writes starts with expressions of appreciation for example in Colossians he writes "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,” (Col1:3) Paul conveys his appreciation for the believers in Thessalonica, “How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? (1Th 3:9). It is easy to overlook these as a simple greeting but the represented more. It was a great encouragement to the church knowing that Paul was thinking and praying for them.

Why is appreciation so lacking in many relationships? I think it is rooted in the expectations we have of others. Thoughts like “well its their job”, or “they are only doing what they are supposed to do” It is so easy to let expectations blind us to the opportunities to show people we value them. I have made many friends in the service industries by going out of my way to thank them for doing a good job. Think of the people that serve us here at SCF. Ushers, greeters, coffee makers, children's workers, communion preparers, people who come in early and give of their time. Do you ever think to tell them you appreciate them?

How does appreciation benefit the giver? 

 For one thing it gets our minds of ourselves. It opens our eyes to see the good in people. It is an antidote to pessimistic thinking. When I pause and see someone giving of their time and goodwill it challenges me to do likewise. When I express gratitude it changes my perception, I begin to see the abundance of good in the little things. I learn to love in a practical way when I really stop and notice people. Dale Carnegie an American writer and lecturer, believed that it is possible to change other people's behavior by changing one's behavior toward them. He wrote “the deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated and the desire to be important.” Think about this in terms of your own life, don't we all want to be noticed and valued? Doesn't you heart soar a little when someone notices and comments on your efforts? We have the power to lift people up. When we bless others we are blessed in return. Pro 11:25 says it well “The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed: those who help others are helped.”

How does appreciation benefit the receiver?

It tells us that we are noticed and we are significant. So many times the encouragement that comes from others reaffirms God's love for us. Proverbs paints a work picture of the power of encouragement  “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” (Pro 25:11) I remember when I was a young believer I was discouraged and feeling insignificant. I lived in a Christian commune and had the responsibility of milking 3 cows. I was a city boy and did not like cows at all. I milked the cows and walked the 200 yards back to the kitchen carrying 10 gals of milk in the rain feeling ready to throw in the towel and leave and go back to the streets. We I arrived there was a lady by the name of MaryLu Kelly that met me at the door and spoke genuine words of appreciation, she told me how much the milk meant to the single mothers and how Jesus loved the way I served, she told me I was a man of God! It was life changing for me. I still carry her encouragement in my heart after 45 years. You and I have a powerful gift we can give, to notice people, to build them up.

It has been a while.

It has been quite a while since I have posted any thing on my blog.  I can't really explain why except so many life changes.  I am in different season now with a new perspectives on the journey.  Both spiritual and personal.  I will be adding new posts regularly. Stay tuned

Christmas Thoughts

“Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a     son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High”  (Luke 1:30-32)

A baby born in an animal stable a to a young teenage girl.  We romanticize this picture but it must of be terrifying for Mary and Joseph.  I remember the birth of our first child. We were just kids really. Watching Margi struggle through a long difficult labor was the most intense and terrifying experience.  Yet as we held or newborn baby our hearts filled with thanksgiving and expectations for the future.  That is the nature of hope, to look to the future with an expectation of good things.  I think Mary and Joseph lived their lives with hope in their hearts. They couldn't not see the whole journey laid out for them, but they had hope.  The  promise of God sustains, it causes us to look to the future with courage, faith and expectations of God's grace working in our lives.

Relationships

Building the Church is the forge that brings out the best or the worst in people. Anyone who is involved in church work has felt the disappointment of fractured relationships or the pain of friendship that has turned sour because of a commitment to serving the Lord and His people. Maybe it has happened when you chose to support a leader when others were disenfranchised. Maybe someone has become offended and you refuse to take part in the bitterness that followed. Some times we feel loss when we just follow the Lord’s leading to a different place and relationships fade in time. It isn’t a much talked about part of the package of the disciple’s life, but it is a very real reality. Peter questioned Jesus on this very issue...Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

Following Christ will mean that some relationships will not continue. Jesus directs His followers to look at the bigger picture in faith. If we are honest we gain far more than we lose. When I look at the 40+ years of serving Jesus I have found a deep reservoir of peace and a strong sense of purpose. I have seen God bring so many quality people into my life. I have found that the deep relationships in my life are built on something deeper than the whims of superficial ‘what’s in it for me”. The committed followers of Christ understand what it means to lay down their life for one another. They know what it means to labor together for the expansion of the Kingdom. My deepest friendships that have endured for decades are those who have given their life to, and paid a price to see the Kingdom move forward. Many of them have experienced loss and yet are compelled to continue to have an open heart and an inclusive spirit. Why can they stay open and not cynical?  Because they know the story is ultimately not about them, but serving Christ and His purposes. They have settled the issue; they look to eternity ultimately choosing Christ above all.

Standing Firm

It is important to remember that as Christians that our citizenship is in another Kingdom.  Our lives are to be spent in allegiance to another King.I have been musing the last few months of how much our culture is changing and I have been some what alarmed to see many Christians cave into the pressure to conform to present culture.  Biblical norms are being abandoned and there is a growing indifference to what the Bible teaches.  Being a Christian is more than being nice people, at its heart is an allegiance to Jesus, to embrace His values and His word.  Many will embrace God's word when it speaks of love and grace, yet when it comes to something that has a requirement of them or a commandment they feel uncomfortable with they discount it.  We can't escape what the Bible says is wrong, it is wrong.  When the Bible is at odds with current culture we must stand firm.  When the Bible points us to being loyal to Him and His Church we must do it.  James in his epsitle writes...

"Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."   (James 1:21-25  ESV) 

Jim Durkin who led an amazing movement during the Jesus People movement spoke of his own experience when he turned away from accepting the whole counsel of the Bible.  His church in shambles, his marriage broken, alone in a cabin with his life a mess he cried out to God, "why has all this happened to me?"  God spoke to him and said, "you have added three words to My words, you say "the Bible says, 'but we know...',  from now on accept and do what My word says and in the dong of it you will come to understand it.  That encounter changed Jim's life, and as he taught this truth it changed the lives of thousands of young people. Some will say I am being simplistic yet I know of no other way to live.  We are comanded to love our neighbor, lets do it.  We are to care for the broken hearted, lets do it.  We are to call sin for what it is, and offence to God, yet speak of mercy and forgiveness.  Lets walk in the fear of the Lord, and yet be confident in our standing with Him.  Lets be the 
the be ambassadors for Christ that we are called to be.

Love

Serving in Mission of Hope has forced me to examine my own heart. There is a certain fatigue that comes from constantly giving to other people.  Especially when people you serve may not seem to appreciate your efforts.  That is when the rubber hits the road and we can examine our motives for serving. Love has become such a trite concept. It has been reduced to almost a greeting card type of sentimentality. For many it has become a concept that is rooted in warm fuzzy feelings. Love is much deeper. It challenges and confronts the self nature and calls us to a reasoned life given to serving others. I have been reading the Gospels and have been struck on how much Jesus commands us to love others. He even makes loving and serving others a test of our love for Him. Jesus said, "if you love me keep my commandments". Another time He speaking to His followers, "a new command I give you, love as I have loved you!" It is the big idea that Jesus would hammer into His followers. Every writer in the New Testament will repeat or expound on Christ's command. Concepts like obedience, honor, service are all rooted in love and carry the price of self- sacrifice.We need to learn how to love. Does God need our fruitfulness? Is he impressed with our accomplishments? I can only conclude that He is not. He is not pragmatic. How we live and our motivations are as important as what we accomplish. Jesus lays out his agenda for greatness and what the disciples should embrace as a philosophy of ministry. Love one another! Live a life that has been set free from the tyranny of self and see others needs.I want to live like Christ. This is what freedom looks like.

Phil. 2:3-11 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not {merely} look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, {and} being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Lord help me to live like this!!

Necessity of Forgiveness

I posted this a number of years ago but I am seeing so many bound by unforgiveness that I thought some might benefit from it being posted again.  I know that wrestling with pain and offence is difficult.  I originally wrote this while dealing with the pain of what I believed was a betrayal by a close friend.  As I sought insight from Jesus I realized that freedom for me was defined how I would respond. These are the truths that helped me,  I hope hope they can encourage others.

Mark 11:25-26

"And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions. "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions."

Mark tells the story to lead into profound moral teaching.  The power of faith is linked to having a clean heart in regard to others. So profound was Jesus’ teaching upon His disciples that all would write of the same truth.  Peter like us was perplexed and troubled by the extremeness of Jesus’ remarks.  They required a generosity of spirit that seemed unreasonable.  If we forgive, we will be forgiven, if we don’t forgive, we will not be forgiven was more than Peter could fathom.  Peter asks for clarification and receives even a greater challenge.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"  Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.   Matt 18:21-35

Paul would later write  that we should model forgiveness  because of Christ and his work in us.  He would point out in Col 3:12 how we were chosen by the grace and mercy of God and we were to act like Christ.  James in his direct and (some would say harsh way) lays out the importance with no wiggle room whatsoever.  “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.”  James 2:13

With all this emphases on the subject of forgiving it begs the question of what does it mean to forgive.  As a verb it means to stop blaming or to absolve from payment.  As an adjective it means inclined to show mercy.  It is a position of moral strength that lives above the circumstances of life.  All relationships has great possibility of offenses.  Yet there is a way to live above the fray.

We gain insight when we look at motivations for not forgiving.

• Vengeance – We have a secret desire to punish or see people hurt.
• Self-protection – We build a wall so that the offender no longer has access.
• Manipulation- Victim status gives opportunity to rally support and pity.

All of these are corrupt and lead to the ensnaring world of bitterness.  Our life becomes consumed by the offence.  Unforgiveness is described as unwilling to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty, grim determination or harsh and severe.  In our desire for justice or vindication we can hinder the grace of God in our life.

The following is a list of some of the destruction unforgiveness causes.

·        It requires us to desire ill to befall another.

·        It requires us to determine another’s value.

·        It places our life under increased scrutiny.  Places us under judgment.

·        It affects all of our relationships.

·        The future is controlled by past hurts.

·        Bitterness is seeded and grows in our souls.

·        It demands loyalty of others to our point of view.

·        You can’t be in agreement with God’s purpose.

·        Holds us prisoner to circumstance we have no power to change.

·        Causes physical harm to our bodies.  

Do you see any of these attitudes in your thought life?  If so consider the advantages of forgiveness.

·       Sets us free from bitterness.

·        Allows us to identify with Christ and comprehend His love for us.

·        Sets us free from a vindictive spirit.

·       Health for our current relationships.

·       Freedom from past hurts.

·       Frees us to love unconditionally.

How do we identify an unforgiving spirit in ourselves?  First we examine our thought life.  Do we review an offence over and over again?  Do we have fantasies of vengeance?  Are we judgmental?  Second we evaluate our current relationships.  Do we hold people at a distance?  Do we tend to keep score?  Do we justify our actions towards others?  Do we harbor a grudge?  All of these are symptoms of unforgiveness.  Lastly we must ask the Holy Spirit to reveal problem areas of our heart.  If we recognize ourselves any of the above attitudes we must take responsibility and move toward real change.

How does one forgive those who have hurt us or offended us?  It starts with seeing the need and working to bring our hearts and mind in agreement with God.  Meditate on His love and faithfulness toward you.  Realize how much Christ has extended Himself to you.  Think of the result of your sins and the extravagance of grace given to you.  Grace can be described as God’s unmerited favor designed to draw His enemies to Himself.  He sought you even when it was your actions that led Him to the cross.  Seek to understand God’s involvement in your life.  Evaluate your life today in light of God’s faithfulness.  Recognize God looks at the larger picture and he is committed to your development.  Ask for the Holy Spirit's help and repent of bitterness and resentment.  Think of simply canceling the debt that another owes to you.

Learning More

Mark 11:20-26

Matt 6:12-15

Matt 18:21-35

James 2:13

Col 3:12-14

Eph 4:30-32

Rom 8:28

Looking Past Imperfect People

Looking Past Imperfect People
Many believers have become critical of the Church.  Quick to see the failures of others, to cast their disappointment on the Church at large.  Failures of high profile leaders, conflicts in church networks contribute to wrong conclusions.  The Church by its very nature is made up of imperfect people.  I'm convinced that it is the Lord's heart for us to be part of the solution. It takes no skill or commitment to identify problems, but it takes great faith to love God's people who gather together in what is called the church. It is my conviction that God loves the Church in all its local expressions. It is an overarching theme of the Scripture. I can only hope that many who have become discouraged will find a renewed love for the purposes of God and shed the bonds of personal discouragement.

Maintaining Perspective

I was talking with an amazing group of volunteers who serve the poor a while back.  We had seen tremendous growth in the number of people we were serving.  The preceding distribution day we had planned for 140 families and had 260 families show up for food assistance.  Needless to say we were overrun with the need and our systems broke down creating some pressure for our team as well as our guests.  Some of those we were serving were, shall we say a little less than patient as we struggled to serve the crowd.  In the end everything worked out fine.  More food was brought from the warehouse so everyone received a week’s supply of food and the meals we were serving somehow stretched to feed everyone.

Later we sat down to evaluate the month’s distribution and to celebrate the joy of being able to help so many people.  Our conversation inevitably drifted to those few rude and unthankful people.  I was amazed to watch the joy and satisfaction of a job well done start to bleed from the room.  Now these are some of the most giving, envisioned, caring people I have ever had the opportunity to work with and yet the negative was eating away at the overwhelming positive.    

Life is like that, we have so much to celebrate and yet it is the negative that captures our thought life much of the time.  We can see a bump in the road and that captures our attention and we lose sight of the big picture.  I remember a story a friend shared that on a Christmas morning one of his children opened gift after gift with great joy and anticipation.  Piles of wrappers and toys were mounting up and after while the moment was over and the family settled in to lazy family morning.  A little while later Dad noticed his son looking a little forlorn.  When he asked what was the matter the little boy lamented that he didn’t get the one toy he wanted.  Surrounded by the generosity of family and friends, abundance on every side meant to bless and encourage, this little boy could only see what wasn’t.  

I must admit I can fall into that trap of losing sight of the victories of ministry life and only see the problems. I believe that I have learned some things that help keep me on track.

1.  Evaluate the positive versus the negative.

2.  Ask God for His perspective.

3.  Celebrate!  Take real joy in the victories we have.

4.  Focus on the objective, don’t lose sight of the ball.

5.  Be thankful.

Let me illustrate and go back to our meeting.  We stopped and evaluated the percentage of those guests that were difficult.  Was it 20%, 15%, 10% that were difficult?  We as a group narrowed it down to 5% that were a problem.  All of a sudden a light went on, we served and helped 95 out of a 100 that needed help!!  95% of those who came went away blessed and encouraged!  Everything changed as we saw things from God’s perspective, renewed energy as we got our eyes back on the ball.  We could honestly say that we were making a difference.  Joy in the mission returned.

It has been a while since I have posted as I have been unsure of the direction I wanted this blog to go.  I am now in a new chapter in my life as I am now quite involved with ministry to the poor.  I am the Director of Mission of Hope an outreach of Silver Creek Fellowship in Silverton OR.  It is an amazing church that truly cares for people from all walks of life.  I hope my musings will be an encouragement to pursue Jesus and His mission and to have some fun along the way.  

Not many Noble

As a young man I used to search the scripture for “principles” that I could practice so that I could experience success and “move up to greater levels of service.” I was still motivated about how I could be pleasing to God and therefore how I could secure a place of honor in the Church. As I have grown older and more experienced in the ways of God I have discovered that Jesus was speaking of values. Values are caught, they change our worldview, the way we navigate life. Principles on the other hand are things we add to our existing mind set. 

"Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. (NKJ)

Mark 10:43-44

Jesus was teaching His companions that the Kingdom of God operated on a different value system. Its measure of greatness and success is at total odds with the way we think. When we look at whom Jesus chose as those He would entrust the advancement of His Kingdom it is clear that Jesus thought differently than many who train leaders today.

As the gospel was being proclaimed in Jerusalem those in authority were amazed at “the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)

When Jesus laid out His plan for the Kingdom it would be through the weak and humble of this world that the Kingdom would advance. Men and women who hold His values and purpose. Paul would echo the teaching of Jesus in His letter to the Corinthians.

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-- and the things that are not-- to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. (1 Cor 1:26-29 NIV)

Do you feel out classed and insignificant to be used by God? Welcome to the club. Christ is looking for you. Give your self to Him and follow His leading, Jesus will use you to expand the Kingdom.

Do you train future leaders? Listen to the Holy Spirit for those He chooses. Don’t be seduced into building the Kingdom with those who fit this world’s picture of greatness.

Verses to consider...

Matt 20:25-28

Luke 9:47-48

Luke 14:11-14

1 Cor 1:18-31

It’s (Past) Time for a Charismatic Reformation

This came from Keith Hazell, and I thought it was worth posting.  I especially agree with his first point.

It’s (Past) Time for a Charismatic Reformation
by Keith Hazell

In honor of Reformation Day, here are some complaints I’m nailing on the Wittenberg door.
Long before there was an Occupy Wall Street, Martin Luther staged the most important protest in history. He was upset because Roman Catholic officials were promising people forgiveness or early escape from purgatory in exchange for money. So on October 31, 1517, Luther nailed a long list of complaints on the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany.
Luther’s famous 95 theses were translated from Latin into German and spread abroad. Like a medieval Jeremiah, Luther dared to ask questions that had never been asked, and challenged a pope who was supposedly infallible. Through this brave monk, the Holy Spirit sparked the Protestant Reformation and restored the doctrine of grace to a church that had become corrupt, religious, dysfunctional, political and spiritually dead.
I am no Luther, but I’ve grown increasingly aware that the so-called “Spirit-filled” church of today struggles with many of the same things the Catholic Church faced in the 1500s. We don’t have “indulgences”—we have telethons. We don’t have popes—we have super-apostles. We don’t support an untouchable priesthood—we throw our money at celebrity evangelists who own fleets of private jets.
In honor of Reformation Day, I’m offering my own list of needed reforms in our movement. And since I can’t hammer these on the Wittenberg door, I’ll post them online. Feel free to nail them everywhere.

1. Let’s reform our theology. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is God and He is holy. He is not an “it.” He is not a blob, a force, or an innate power. We must stop manipulating Him, commanding Him and throwing Him around.

2. Let’s return to the Bible. The Word of God is the foundation for the Christian experience. Any dramatic experience, no matter how spiritual it seems, must be tested by the Word and the Holy Spirit’s discernment. Visions, dreams, prophecies and encounters with angels must be in line with Scripture. If we don’t test them we could end up spreading deception.
 
3. It’s time for personal responsibility. We charismatic’s must stop blaming everything on demons. People are usually the problem.

4. Stop playing games. Spiritual warfare is a reality, but we are not going to win the world to Jesus just by shouting at demonic principalities. We must pray, preach and persevere to see ultimate victory.

5. Stop the foolishness. People who hit, slap or push others during prayer should be asked to sit down until they learn gentleness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

6. End all spiritual extortion now. Christian television ministries must cease and desist from all manipulative fundraising tactics. We must stop giving platforms to ministers who make outlandish claims of supernatural financial returns, especially when Scripture is twisted, deadlines are imposed and the poor are exploited.

7. No more Lone Rangers. Those who claim to be ministers of God—whether they are traveling evangelists, local pastors or heads of ministries—must be accountable to other leaders. Any who refuse to submit their lives to godly discipline should be corrected.

8. Expose the creeps. Churches should start doing background checks on traveling ministers. Preachers who have been hiding criminal records, lying about their past marriages, preying on women or refusing to pay child support should be exposed as charlatans and shunned if they do not repent.

9. Stop faking the anointing. God is God, and He does not need our “help” to manifest Himself. That means we don’t sprinkle glitter on ourselves to suggest God’s glory is with us, hide fake jewels on the floor to prove we are anointed or pull chicken feathers out of our sleeves to pretend angels are in the room. This is lying to the Holy Spirit.

10. Let’s return to purity. We’ve had enough scandals. The charismatic church must develop a system for the restoration of fallen ministers. Those who fall morally can be restored, but they must be willing to submit to a process of healing rather than rushing immediately back into the pulpit.

11. We need humility. Ministers who demand celebrity treatment, require lavish salaries, insist on titles or exhibit aloofness from others are guilty of spiritual pride.

12. No more big shots. Apostles are the bondslaves of Christ, and should be the most impeccable models of humility. True apostles do not wield top-down, hierarchical authority over the church. They serve the church from the bottom up as true servants.

13. Never promote gifts at the expense of character. Those who operate in prophecy, healing and miracles must also exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. And while we continue to encourage the gift of tongues, let’s make sure we don’t treat it like some kind of badge of superiority. The world needs to see our love, not our glossolalia.

14. Hold the prophets accountable. Those who refuse to take responsibility for inaccurate statements should not be given platforms. And “prophets” who live immoral lives don’t deserve a public voice.

15. Let’s make the main thing the main thing. The purpose of the Holy Spirit’s anointing is to empower us to reach others. We are at a crossroads today: Either we continue off-course, entertained by our charismatic sideshows, or we throw ourselves into evangelism, church planting, missions, discipleship, and compassionate ministry that helps the poor and fights"

Believing God

I have been thinking a lot about grace and faith.  As a young Christian I was taught that faith was a means to move God.  We were taught that there are principles of faith that God would not ignore. If we only believed, confessed and acted we could get what ever we had set our faith toward.  As I have walked with God I find that I don't believe that God is so easily manipulated.  Don't misunderstand me, faith sits central to our life in God.  I do believe that we are to confess God's Word and put into practice, but in a response to a relationship and revelation from God.  My view of 'faith principles' has been shaped by the message of grace.  Grace in the Greek carries the idea of God's influence on our hearts.  God speaks to us by His Spirit; we are designed to be a people of revelation.  Faith is the response to an encounter with God.  Consider Gideon, frightened, hiding in a wine press.  An angel appears and makes a declaration that Gideon is a mighty man of God.  It was that revelation that propels him into the destiny that God had for him.  To some Gideon’s ongoing conversation and request for confirmation was a lack of faith on Gideon’s part.  Yet it speaks to a remarkable act of grace and revelation.  It was in that encounter that dynamic faith is fostered and released.  As a Bible teacher it is easier to contextualize Gideon’s request as unbelief and to discourage people to look to an encounter with God, than to set them up to the possibility of God not responding to their request.  We some times dumb down the mystic nature of Christianity to avoid any need to wrestle with God.  Jacob wrestled with God and carried the reminder for the rest of his life.  We need more divine encounters. Another truth that has come as I consider grace is that life is more about God and less about us.  We were created for His pleasure, yet some how we can lose that perspective and shift to ‘my happiness, my dreams, and my fulfillment’.  In all the heroes of faith we see recorded in the book of Hebrews, it was more about how they responded to God and His purposes for their life.  Life is complex; God’s ways are far above our own, He moves according to His own sovereignty. We are called to a living and dynamic relationship with God let us seek him and avoid resorting to formulas to find our way. When we “hear” God, then let us believe, confess and act with confidence.

Forgiveness a Key to Freedom

Mark 11:20-26

And as they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. And being reminded, Peter said to Him, "Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which You cursed has withered."  And Jesus answered saying to them, "Have faith in God. "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him.  "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you. 25 "And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions. "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions."

Many times we look to this story for insight into faith yet Mark tells the story to lead into profound moral teaching.  The power of faith is linked to having a clean heart in regard to others. So profound was Jesus’ teaching upon His disciples that all would write of the same truth.  Peter like us was perplexed and troubled by the extremeness of Jesus’ remarks.  They required a generosity of spirit that seemed unreasonable.  If we forgive, we will be forgiven, if we don’t forgive, we will not be forgiven was more than Peter could fathom.  Peter asks for clarification and receives even a greater challenge.

 

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"  Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.   Matt 18:21-35

Paul would later write  that we should model forgiveness  because of Christ and his work in us.  He would point out in Col 3:12 how we were chosen by the grace and mercy of God and we were to act like Christ.  James in his direct and (some would say harsh way) lays out the importance with no wiggle room whatsoever.  “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.”  James 2:13

With all this emphases on the subject of forgiving it begs the question of what does it mean to forgive.  As a verb it means to stop blaming or to absolve from payment.  As an adjective it means inclined to show mercy.  It is a position of moral strength that lives above the circumstances of life.  All relationships has great possibility of offenses.  Yet there is a way to live above the fray.

We gain insight when we look at motivations for not forgiving.

• Vengeance – We have a secret desire to punish or see people hurt.
• Self-protection – We build a wall so that the offender no longer has access.
• Manipulation- Victim status gives opportunity to rally support and pity.

All of these are corrupt and lead to the ensnaring world of bitterness.  Our life becomes consumed by the offence.  Unforgiveness is described as unwilling to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty, grim determination or harsh and severe.  In our desire for justice or vindication we can hinder the grace of God in our life.

The following is a list of some of the destruction unforgiveness causes.

·        It requires us to desire ill to befall another.

·        It requires us to determine another’s value.

·        It places our life under increased scrutiny.  Places us under judgment.

·        It affects all of our relationships.

·        The future is controlled by past hurts.

·        Bitterness is seeded and grows in our souls.

·        It demands loyalty of others to our point of view.

·        You can’t be in agreement with God’s purpose.

·        Holds us prisoner to circumstance we have no power to change.

·        Causes physical harm to our bodies.  

Do you see any of these attitudes in your thought life?  If so consider the advantages of forgiveness.

·       Sets us free from bitterness.

·        Allows us to identify with Christ and comprehend His love for us.

·        Sets us free from a vindictive spirit.

·       Health for our current relationships.

·       Freedom from past hurts.

·       Frees us to love unconditionally.

How do we identify an unforgiving spirit in ourselves?  First we examine our thought life.  Do we review an offence over and over again?  Do we have fantasies of vengeance?  Are we judgmental?  Second we evaluate our current relationships.  Do we hold people at a distance?  Do we tend to keep score?  Do we justify our actions towards others?  Do we harbor a grudge?  All of these are symptoms of unforgiveness.  Lastly we must ask the Holy Spirit to reveal problem areas of our heart.  If we recognize ourselves any of the above attitudes we must take responsibility and move toward real change.

How does one forgive those who have hurt us or offended us?  It starts with seeing the need and working to bring our hearts and mind in agreement with God.  Meditate on His love and faithfulness toward you.  Realize how much Christ has extended Himself to you.  Think of the result of your sins and the extravagance of grace given to you.  Grace can be described as God’s unmerited favor designed to draw His enemies to Himself.  He sought you even when it was your actions that led Him to the cross.  Seek to understand God’s involvement in your life.  Evaluate your life today in light of God’s faithfulness.  Recognize God looks at the larger picture and he is committed to your development.  Ask for the Holy Spirits help and repent of bitterness and resentment.  Think of simply canceling the debt that another owes to you.

Learning More

Mark 11:20-26

Matt 6:12-15

Matt 18:21-35

James 2:13

Col 3:12-14

Eph 4:30-32

Rom 8:28

Maintaining Momentum

I was talking with an amazing group of volunteers who serve the poor a while back. We had seen tremendous growth in the number of people we were serving. The preceding distribution day we had planned for 140 families and had 260 families show up for food assistance. Needless to say we were overrun with the need and our systems broke down creating some pressure for our team as well as our guests. Some of those we were serving were, shall we say a little less than patient as we struggled to serve the crowd. In the end every thing worked out fine. More food was brought from the warehouse so every one received a week’s supply of food and the meals we were serving somehow stretched to feed everyone.

Later we sat down to evaluate the month’s distribution and to celebrate the joy of being able to help so many people. Our conversation inevitably drifted to those few rude and less than greatful people. I was amazed to watch the joy and satisfaction of a job well done start to bleed from the room. Now these are some of the most giving, envisioned, caring people I have ever had the opportunity to work with and yet the negative was eating away at the overwhelming positive.

Life is like that, we have so much to celebrate and yet it is the negative that captures our thought life much of the time. We can see a bump in the road and that captures our attention and we lose sight of the big picture. I remember a story a friend shared that on a Christmas morning one of his children opened gift after gift with great joy and anticipation. Piles of wrappers and toys were mounting up and after while the moment was over and the family settled in to lazy family morning. A little while later Dad noticed his son looking a little forlorn. When he asked what was the matter the little boy lamented that he didn’t get the one toy he wanted. Surrounded by the generosity of family and friends, and abundance on every side that was meant to bless and encourage, this little boy could only see what wasn’t.

I must admit I can fall into that trap of losing sight of the victories of ministry life and only see the problems. I believe that I have learned some things that help keep me on track.

1. Evaluate the positive verses the negative.

2. Ask God for His perspective.

3. Celebrate! Take real joy in the victories we have.

4. Focus on the objective, don’t lose sight of the ball.

5. Be thankful.

Let me illustrate and go back to our meeting. We stopped and evaluated the percentage of those guests that had been difficult. Was it 20%, 15%, 10% that were difficult? We as a group narrowed it down to 5% that were a problem. All of a sudden a light went on, we served and helped 95 out of a 100 that needed help!! 95% of those who came went away blessed and encouraged! Everything changed as we saw things from God’s perspective, renewed energy as we got our eyes back on the ball. We could honestly say that we were making a difference. Joy in the mission returned.

Serving Others Leads to Life

My wife Margi and I have the privilege to lead Mission of Hope a ministry that serves the needy with food and hot meals. MOH is this last month distributed to over 1200 individuals emergency food boxes and served an additional 600 hot meals. (If you would like to know more about MOH check out stoppinghunger.org.) What has struck me is how serving others has brought life to those who serve. It is so easy to be caught up on our cares and needs that it can cause us to lose focus about what is important in life. Jesus teaching his disciples stated that
"who ever would seek to save his own life will lose it but he who loses his live for Him they would find it again". Again and again I have seen folks be come energized in life by serving others. One volunteer wrote,

"It was so fulfilling to help people in need. I myself know what it feels like to need a little assistance in these tough economic times. I met a young woman who came directly from her job to the food bank because she had been laid off from her full time job and now only works part time at a job where she is not able to work at her full potential with no benefits and less pay. Her husband is also laid off and they have two children to support. I held her hand and told her that I also was out of work and I understood how difficult it was. I told her how good it felt to just be volunteering and how reaching out to others is really helping me to be lifted up as well. She began to cry and sincerely thanked me for what we were doing at Mission of Hope. I told her to thank God because He is the ultimate provider and even when times seem unbearable He is always there to give us the help we need. I told her not to feel ashamed for asking for help. It is important in these times to understand that people need each other for help, understanding and support. Mission of Hope is more than just a food bank it is God's people coming together to serve and love people in need without a judgmental attitude but a heart to serve and show God's love. I am so thankful to be a part of a work so meaningful and special."

What is so remarkable about this, is this volunteer had been out of work and was feeling somewhat defeated, yet as she served her confidence grew and now has found a very good job. She now has a new perspective on life and it is evident to everyone. I believed we are wired by God to serve others. The great command to love God is reflected in loving others as well. There is a strong sense of significance that comes from opening our heart to others. Another volunteer wrote,

"Steve,
Just thought you should know - today while I was at the church office a lady called in. She wondered when the next MOH distribution was in Silverton. She went on to say she'd just gotten home from the distribution today, was going through the food she received, and couldn't believe how much there was! She shared that her social security income was being reduced, and she's been unsure how to make ends meet. She was extremely grateful for the help that MoH provided, and said it was so great to see so many smiling, happy people willing to serve. She ended with the statement, "and I'm going to have to check out your church, it must be a fun place to be!" Sounds like we're really blessing some people here in Silverton!"

I love the excitement reflected in the note. There is a sense of mission and purpose that is reflected in the last line. We are meant to live life on the edge of our seats, spending our lives to the expand the kingdom of God. Yet it is so easy to be caught up with the cares of this world and to let the joy that comes from serving others get choked out of our lives. I would encorage anyone that is caught in a rut to jump in to serving in some way. Get involved with a food bank, an after school program, or some other service organization. Maybe your church has become in-turned, get a group to serve at a local mission, do something! It will energize your life. Have a Happy New year.

Power of a Clean Conscience

1 Tim 1:18-19

This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies

previously made concerning you, that by them you may fight the good fight, keeping

faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in

regard to their faith. (NAS)

In the day-to-day activities of life it is easy to lose sight of the importance of a clean conscience. Like foxes that spoil the vine, compromise can dull our spirit and undermine our relationship with the Lord. Little offences, hardly significant to our natural mind can have serious consequences to our spirit.

Let us consider for a moment what the conscience is. It’s a faculty of a man”s spirit that is sensitive to innate truth. It may be likened to a bridge between the spirit and our mind. The Holy Spirit uses our conscience to quicken us to God’s nature and righteousness. When we cross into areas of unrighteousness the conscience begins to trouble us and requires action on our part to satisfy its accusation. In many ways an active conscience is a great gift because it requires us to live open and righteous lives before the throne of grace.

When we endeavor to navigate life with a clean conscience there is tangible results. We have confidence when we pray or worship and we live a sincere and honest life. Our capacity to share the Good News of the Kingdom is no longer hindered by guilt.

Paul warns in his letter to Timothy to nurture a good conscience. To ignore our conscience is to invite disaster. When we sin and do not obey the prompting of our conscience to repent and set things right, we begin the process of hardening our heart.

We harden ourselves to receiving truth and become vulnerable to deceiving spirits. Many are driven to rationalize and justify their behaviors; some lose themselves in the noise of our culture seeking to escape the testimony of their own heart. Some escape through a long list of vices, each leading to more condemnation and further retreat from the grace of God.

A clean conscience produces an inner peace of the spirit, no longer our own heart bringing accusations against us. It comes as a result of making peace with God and restitution with the ones whom we have hurt or offended. When we apply God’s principals, we gain victory. We must come to gripes that excuses do not clean our conscience. Only sincere repentance, and where necessary restitution silence the accusations of our conscience. When we offend God, we must repent. When we hurt someone with our words or actions we must ask forgiveness. If we have stole we must make restitution. A life of freedom is living life free from the shackles of regret or shame.

Please consider the promptings of your heart. When you remember your past are you ashamed? Are there those who you have hurt or offended? Is there moral failure in your life? Take these things to Christ. He stands as your advocate and redeemer. Do what ever in your power to restore and make right. Be quick to repent and you will avoid the heartbreak of shipwreck.

Relationships

Building the Church is the forge that brings out the best or the worst in people. Anyone who is involved in church work has felt the disappointment of fractured relationships or the pain of friendship that has turned sour because of a commitment to serving the Lord and His people. Maybe it has happened when you chose to support a leader when others were disenfranchised. Maybe someone has become offended and you refuse to take part in the bitterness that followed. Some times we feel loss when we just follow the Lord’s leading to a different place and relationships fade in time. It isn’t a much talked about part of the package of the disciple’s life, but it is a very real reality. Peter questioned Jesus on this very issue..

Matt 19:27
Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

Following Christ will mean that some relationships will not continue. Jesus directs His followers to look at the bigger picture in faith. If we are honest we gain far more than we lose. When I look at the 30+ years of serving Jesus I have found a deep reservoir of peace and a strong sense of purpose. I have seen God bring so many quality people into my life. I have found that the deep relationships in my life are built on something deeper than the whims of superficial ‘what’s in it for me”. The committed followers of Christ understand what it means to lay down their life for one another. They know what it means to labor together for the expansion of the Kingdom. My deepest friendships that have endured for decades are those who have given their life to, and paid a price to see the Kingdom move forward. Many of them have experienced loss and yet are compelled to continue to have an open heart and an inclusive ethos. Why can they stay open? Because they know the story is ultimately not about them, but serving Christ and His purposes. They have settled the issue; they look to eternity ultimately choosing Christ above all.